American consumers are certainly undecided. While a recent poll showed that belief in global warming was falling, efforts to adopt green living are on the rise as sales of ‘ethical’ products continue to grow. And this desire to pruchase sustainable goods is so strong it is evident despite the recession in the U.S economy.
Green Products
Organic and environmentally sustainable products, which include
- energy-efficient light bulbs
- natural lotions
- recycled paper
- fresh organic food
The statistics
The sales for ethical and green products will see a rise of almost 9% this year, pushing the market to $38 billion. Not surprisingly, items labelled ‘organic’ saw sales rise upto 17%. These figures were released by Packaged Facts and Organic Trade Association, and reported by Reuters.
Why is this happening?
Americans are suddenly into buying green because of a number of reasons:
- President Obama is committed to tackling climate change, despite setbacks
- Firms selling sustainable products have adopted better marketing, encouraging lifestyle changes and promoting green living methods
- Consumers want to believe they have the power to positively impact the world given current economic and social hardships
- Lower prices of organic goods by wholesalers
- The EPA is showing interest in global warming too
Certainly, considering the role of Americans in global warming. American consumers are solely responsible for around 40% of U.S. and 8% of global carbon emissions, any changes in lifestyles will go a long way as a solution to global warming. Considering the credit crunch and the save-instead-of-spend stance on consumers, this trend in green living is not only worthy of notice, but also appreciation.
Sources: Reuters, Photobucket
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